LLEW O'BRIEN MP

Federal Member for Wide Bay

Working for Wide Bay

Statement on Road Safety and the Bruce Highway - House of Representatives

Mr Deputy Speaker, this is National Road Safety Week and I wear my yellow ribbon to confirm my absolute support.

In 2016, 1,300 people were killed on our roads, a 7.9% increase on the 2015 toll.

Recently, the Bruce Highway north of Gympie, has claimed seven lives. This is unacceptable. These crashes devastate families and communities; leaving a lasting impact on all involved.

Since the 25 kilometre section A and B of the Cooroy to Curra upgrade have been completed, what was once the most deadly section of highway in Australia has become fatality free.

With the construction of Section C well advanced, we now need Federal and State Governments to fund construction of Section D, where detailed design and land acquisitions are well underway. And upgrades need to continue north to Maryborough.

People are dying in the electorate of Wide Bay and it must stop. Infrastructure money needs to be spent where it will save lives. If at any time I believe that our infrastructure spend is placing urban convenience over lives in rural and regional areas such as Wide Bay I will come out strongly against any such proposal.

I stand shoulder to shoulder with my local community, media and road safety advocates who today are calling for these Bruce Highway upgrades which will save precious lives.